


Beauty of the Truth

by witchee_writer



Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen, Hates Himself For It, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Self-Doubt, Squad 11 Family, Yumichika Saves The Day, Zanpaktou Reveal, his shikai is the prettiest and yachiru agrees, look what squad i'm writing about come on, there is also swearing, yachiru just wants to see pretty flowers and who can blame her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29105724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchee_writer/pseuds/witchee_writer
Summary: Yumichika had meant to take his secret to the grave, he had never wanted things to change (but maybe, just maybe, he should have had more faith in those that cared about him, and change wasn't so bad after all).
Relationships: Ayasegawa Yumichika/Madarame Ikkaku
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Beauty of the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> I am re-reading Bleach because I love it and I also didn't finish it (which doesn't sound like that much of a loss but shit clearly went down and I have to know what happened). BUT YUMICHIKA AND IKKAKU'S RELATIONSHIP IS JUST SO GOOD- I wish there were more fics to read because I've almost gone through all of them. So now I'm contributing instead. Enjoy!

Yumichika tried to pull at his binds, to rip himself free, but it was no use. His limbs felt heavy, blood trickled down the side of his face. It had been a trap from the beginning, the Arrancar had done enough damage to lure out Soul Society's most powerful and now he would asborb their reiatsu like it had done all the rest. Ikkaku roared next to him, thrashing, fighting. Yumichika hadn't told him to stop, he wouldn't listen even if he did. But he knew that the more they fought, the faster they were drained. This technique was all too similar to his own.

Maybe if he used it he would be able to get them out of this. Ruri'iro Kujaku was faster and stronger, it would cut through whatever invisible binds that held them and choke the life out of their enemy. Yumichika glanced across at his Captain, even he was bound and unable to move. It had caught them the moment they had stepped into the Arrancar's range, as if they had stepped through a wall of energy and it had reacted, wrapping around them, smothering them, dampening their energy. They hadn't been able to retrace their steps, to find another way to kill their enemy. Yumichika was the only one that had tried, and the smaller hollows that were sent their way were enough to distract them. 

They were small fry, no better then ants but with their movements slow and heavy, they hadn't been able to fight like they had wanted too. Eventually, the hollows stopped coming, and the four of them could hardly even move. 

A chuckle, goading and ugly echoed around them. 

They hadn't seen their enemy yet, he had hidden behind the reiatsu like a coward. He was close though, Yumichika could tell that much. His zanpaktou called for him, screamed in his head. It wanted to be let free, it wanted to show off. But- he had always said he would rather die then let Ikkaku find out. It was his secret, it was meant to stay that way. A kido-based sword in Squad 11? It was unheard of. Yumichika's lip curled, those weak bastards would look down on him and they had _no right_. Would it matter that he had beaten them into the dust all this time with a partially released shikai? No, of course not. They were all too simple-minded for that. 

"I WILL NOT DIE BY THIS STUPID KIDO SHIT," yelled Ikkaku. He could hardly even lift his head anymore, though his mouth still worked. Idiot, if he just stayed still. "FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!" 

Yumichika's face hardened, his jaw clenching. It shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. He knew Ikkaku, Zaraki too. He knew how they would react to his sword, that was why he hadn't revealed it. He hadn't wanted things to change, he hadn't wanted Ikkaku to look at him differently. His hand curled around his sword, gripping tightly. But it wasn't just him, or the two of them- Yumichika glanced at Yachiru. The Lieutenant was strong, but she was still so young, she only had so much reiatsu to spare. He knew she wouldn't last much longer. 

"Like a man," murmured Yumichika. Ikakku glanced at him, with a frown. He pushed himself to his feet, bitter and self-loathing but determined all the same. There was no choice, not with this. If they didn't all want to die, then Yumichika would have to do something. "Split and deviate, Ruri'iro Kujaku."

The vines shot out in every direction, glowing and beautiful, despite how Yumichika despised them. His eyes followed them, they knew where to go. Their energy had to go somewhere, after all. The Arrancar couldn't hide the traces he left behind, not now, not from him. All those soul reapers he had drained, all it had done was paint a big ugly target over his face for Yumichika to find.

The vines wrapped around something hovering in the air and it screamed. The heavy press of reiatsu around them shattered, the Arrancar finally appearing to them. He was terribly ugly, as bad as Charlotte had been. Yumichika shuddered, he still had nightmares of his ugliness sometimes. Yumichika took cruel satisfaction in the panic in his gaze as vines wrapped around his wrists, another creeping around his ankles and his neck. He wondered if it hurt, he hoped so. 

Yumichika could feel Ikkaku's eyes burning a hole into his skull but he refused to look his way, to grant him his attention. He was vaguely aware of the Captain crawling across to Yachiru, pulling her into his lap. 

"Pretty," she murmured. 

Yumichika resisted the urge to wince. 

"Impossible!" yelled the Arrancar, "My technique cannot be broken! YOU ARE BUT A WEAK SOUL REAPER, YOU SHOULD BARELY BE ABLE TO MOVE!" 

Yumichika fingered the vines lightly, the flowers were blooming quickly. This beast had taken so much reiatsu he could have been invincible, but not against him. His strength worked in Yumichika's favour, this wouldn't take long at all. "Ah, but Ruri'iro Kujaku is so hungry, you see? I hardly ever let him feed." Yumichika smiled, cold and cruel. "You should be honored, you forced my hand. If it had been me alone I might not have bothered."

"Yumichika, you-" started Ikkaku. 

"It doesn't matter how strong you are," said Yumichika, raising his voice, talking over him. He saw Ikkaku sigh, his head droop out of the corner of his eye. "It doesn't matter how much you took from us. You cannot escape now. Oh, look, the flowers have bloomed-" The Arrancar screamed, the sheer force of their reiatsu combined turning against him. 

It truly was beautiful. 

There was nothing left by time the smoke cleared, the flowers floating down around them. Yumichika caught a few, chewing on one absentmindedly as the hollow disappeared. "How disappointing," he muttered. 

Yumichika could already feel his strength coming back to him as his zanpaktou returned to it's sealed state. His limbs didn't feel as heavy, he could walk again. He should have been gleeful, that he had defeated an enemy that none of the others had, that Yumichika had not even broken a sweat. He had when he had defeated Shuuhei, and Charlotte. But this- this was different. This had never been the plan. Yumichika was meant to take this secret to the grave. 

He dropped a flower on Ikkaku without looking at him, couldn't stand to see whatever look was on his face. He stepped around the hand that tried to grab his ankle, to hold him in place. Yumichika ignored their Captain too, shoving a flower into his hand as he kneeled next to Yachiru, his eyes on her and her alone. The Lieutenant made grabby motions at him, her face a little too pale. 

"Eat this, Yachiru," said Yumichika, carefully. "You'll feel better." 

Yachiru blinked, weakly. "Candy?"

"No, you idiot." 

She shoved the entire flower into her mouth without further argument and Yumichika allowed hismelf to feel fond for a moment, to see the colour return to her face. 

He felt Ikkaku behind him. "Yumi-" 

Yumichika stepped away before he could finish his sentence.

* * *

"Enough of your fuckin' mopin'!" snapped Zaraki. 

It had been days since Yumichika had revealed his true sword, since any of them had seen him. They had gotten back to the barracks to all the paperwork done, the reports filed and Yumichika gone. Yachiru had wanted to find him, to "see the pretty flowers again", but Ikkaku didn't even know where to start and the Captain just wanted alcohol.

He didn't mention anything about Yumichika's sword. 

Ikkaku wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He figured they'd find out when Yumichika showed up again, but it had been days, and Ikkaku hadn't seen so much as an eyelash from him. He had looked, he had tried every spot that he could think of but he had turned up blank. He wasn't worried, Yumichika could look after himself (obviously). But this wasn't like him, he didn't just fucking disappear. It meant something to hold himself back like that, to force his own zanpaktou to change, to fit the mold he wanted it too. Okay, maybe he was a tad worried.

He hadn't even _told_ Ikkaku. 

Ikkaku had told him everything, had showed him his bankai, had trusted him with that. Yumichika hadn't felt the same way. Did he think that Ikkaku would hate him for it?

They had clawed their way into the positions they held together, they were best friends. If Yumichika was forced out of Squad 11 (which he wouldn't be), then Ikkaku would go with him without a second thought. It was as simple as that, how could he think it would be any different? 

"Kenny!" grinned Yachiru, appearing over his shoulder. "Let's go find Yun-Yun, okay?" 

Ikkaku's eyes widened as the Captain grabbed his arm and literally started dragging him. Ikkaku spluttered, tried to get himself back to his feet but in the end, gave into it. Sometimes, it was just easier. 

"If it means this one stops fuckin' sulking, then fine, we'll go find Yumichika," said Zaraki, grumpily. "Which way, Yachiru?" 

The Lieutenant thought for a moment before pointing left, "That way! I'm sure of it." 

Ikkaku groaned. 

They were never going to find Yumichika. 

* * *

Yumichika blinked, stared at the hole in the wall incredulously. There was literally a door right next to it, the amount of paperwork this was going to result in had his head pounding. The souls scattered at the sight of the Squad 11 Captain, and Yumichika couldn't blame them. He had hoped that by heading out into the districts he might be able to avoid this for a little longer. 

He was wrong. 

"Yun-Yun!" shouted Yachiru. A ball of pink flew at him and Yumichika swore as her power shoved him into the far back wall. Yachiru bounced on his lap, brushing dust from his hair. "You're so good at hiding! We looked for you for a full day! Baldy was getting sad!" Yumichika glanced over her shoulder as Ikkaku spluttered, his entire head going red. 

"I- I was not! Shut up, brat!" He yelled. 

"Were too!"

"Were not!" 

"ENOUGH!" ordered Zaraki, throwing back the drink Yumichika had left behind. He scowled, looking around for more. "Can't believe you came out to this shithole." He shook his head, bells ringing. His Captain turned his eye to him, glaring. "You gonna hide out here forever, Yumichika? Come on, get off your ass, we're going back." 

Yumichika didn't move. "I can't stay," he said, quietly. Yachiru frowned up at him, but he ignored her. 

"Who says?" snapped Zaraki. 

"My sword-" 

"I am the Captain, I'll fuckin' say who goes. That would have been a really shit way to die, all of the strongest members of Squad 11 dying like that? Jeez, would have been humiliating." 

"That's a big word, Captain," said Yumichika. 

Zaraki rolled his eyes, "Shut up and let's go." A smirk spread across his face. "We have to test that sword of yours now, don't we? This is going to be fun." He stalked out of the rubble, Yachiru grinned, placed a wet kiss to his cheek, and bounded out after their Captain. Yumichika didn't know what to say. Of all the scenarios, he had never in his wildest dreams imagined this one. It- it was impossible. Yumichika didn't even realise Ikkaku had moved until he slid down the wall next to him. 

It was awkward, it had never been awkward between them before. 

Not when they had met, not when Ikkaku revealed his bankai, or when Yumichika got too drunk and kissed him (Ikkaku enjoyed it just as much, that was why it kept happening). But this- this was awkward. This was Yumichika not trusting him after everything they had been through, this was a betrayal. It would be ironic if Ikkaku accepted the true form of his zanpaktou but couldn't get over the fact that Yumichika had kept the truth from him. 

Ikkaku sighed, "Why didn't you tell me?" 

Yumichika found he couldn't meet his gaze again, focused on a spot across from them. What was he supposed to say? That he had been scared? That he hadn't wanted to lose him. "A sword like that doesn't belong in our division, Ikkaku," said Yumichika, finally. "It was easier to make it something else."

"Fuck off." Yumichika looked at him in surprise, and Ikakku glared back at him. "It's a part of you! You don't need to hide it, least of all from me. You don't want the rest of the idiots in our division to know about it then fine. That's your call, but if you do, you can kick their asses enough that they'll stop talking. You do it every other day, what's different?" 

"I-"

"I'll always have your back, you should know that by now." Ikkaku folded his arms over his chest, his eyes defiant. 

"I know," said Yumichika, softly. 

"Then let's fucking go back before the Captain breaks another wall." 

Yumichika winced, "You guys haven't been saving all the paperwork for me, have you? Wrinkles are bad for my complexion." 

Ikkaku rolled his eyes, grabbed his arm and dragged him to his feet. "No, asshole, I did it." 

"You-"

"Shut up! Don't make a big deal about it!" 

"So you can do paperwork?" said Yumichika, eyes gleaming. "Here I thought I was the only one all this time." He couldn't help the little skip in his step as he made for the door (the hole in the wall), "I'll have to keep that in mind-" Ikkaku grabbed his wrist, pulled him back. His face was serious, too serious. "Ikkaku?" 

"Yumi, don't die holding back, okay?" The grip around his wrist tightened, painfully, but he didn't pull away. "Don't you fucking dare. If you do, I'll never forgive you." 

Yumichika's face softened. He sighed, closing the distance between them, pressing a hand to Ikkaku's cheek. "Ikkaku..." 

"Promise me," he said, hoarsely. "It won't be a beautiful death if you were holding back." 

He nodded, "I promise." 

Ikkaku let out a breath, the tension washing out of him. He still held onto Yumichika, and Yumichika let him. He looked tired, if this was what he needed then Yumichika would give it easily. 

"ARE YOU IDIOTS COMING OR NOT!?" yelled Zaraki. 

Yumichika chuckled, pulling away. "Coming, Captain!" he sang, before lowering his voice. Yumichika tugged Ikkaku towards the door, "Come on, let's go home." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I appreciate any kudos and comments (even if I don't reply), you guys really are the best! <3


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